We move to a new game, but another that doesn't reveal its ratings. One more year and we get ratings back, thankfully. Gameday 99 was less arcade-like than its previous installments, without the NFL Blitz-style attacks after the play that appeal when you're 12 and/or playing online. They did, however, improve rollouts dramatically, with quarterbacks actually looking like they were on a bootleg when they went went on the move.

You should see these animations. Players move their appendages in installments.

It was a step down from his peak for Faver, who led the league in completions, completion percentage, and yards, but didn't even make the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1994. He also didn't win the MVP for the first time since 1994, which seems sort of unfair to criticize him for. The Pack went 11-5, but lost to the 49ers on the road in the first round of the playoffs, signaling that their time at the top of the NFL had begun to draw short.